Winnie Post 8: Viet Nam

It is Thursday 1/6/11 at 5 PM as I write this.  I haven't had the computer to write so will try to fill you in from whence I left off.  Think I left off on Monday 1/3/11 when B and I were to walk to do the mall.  Ha My spent the day with her family -

B and I walked to Diamond Mall, a very high end mall - nothing in my taste or pocketbook.  In fact, I am not sure who would be buying Versace etc in such a poor country.  I did not see anyone who purchased anything!  Came back to hotel and got a map and retraced our route looking for a book store and another mall.  Found the VinCom Mall - very modern, multi levels, high end stores and the placement of the stores was interesting.  All the furniture stores on same floor, one floor just for desserts, one floor for food, etc.  

Since we have been in Saigon, we have eaten late lunches and then skipping dinner. Most days I am in my room by 5 PM for the night.   Don't know what Beav and Ha My have done.  Am sure it is good for them to have some alone time.

Tuesday 1/4/11 We went to the War Remnants Museum in the morning.  Very powerful.  Several US planes, tanks, guns, and other major weapons on the grounds.  The brochure states "the museum specializes in research, collecting, preserving and exhibiting the remnant proofs of Vietnam War crimes and their consequences."  There are several floors which have different themes:  Historical Truths, Requiem which is a collection of documentary photos taken by 134 journalist from 11 nationalities and all killed in the war, Imprisonment conditions, Agent orange children, Aggressive War Crimes...you get the jist of it.  Very emotional and meaningful for all of us, in different ways.

In the afternoon we went to Independence Palace, also called Reunification Palace.  It is really beautiful, very stately, w/ rooms for state meetings, large oval table w/ chairs and microphones for all parties.  The palace is 4 floors, basement is kitchen, 2nd for meetings, a map room, a communications room etc, 3rd floor is living, 4th floor is for entertainment.  It was originally built by the French in 1868 but they signed it over to VN in 1954 as part of the Geneva agreement.  There were several presidents under whose rule it fell, but few lived in it.  One president was overthrown in a coup after 48 hours power.  One was assassinated - and the palace was bombed by its own people in one of the coups.  Parts of it were totally destroyed but have been rebuilt.  It is the site of the joining of the North and South to be one peaceful harmonious Vietnam.

Then we walked back to VinCom mall as they had an incredible bakery.  We all bought fattening goodies!  I had green tea ice cream which was delicious.  Bought a green tea muffin for my breakfast, which was also yummy!  B and HM bought their own goodies too.  Walked back to hotel around 5 - In for the night.

Wednesday, 1/5/11 we went to the Cu Chi Tunnels on a bus tour.  I sat next to a young man from Australia.  We chatted the entire way to the tunnels.  The bus ride was about an hour - The tunnel openings were so small and so well camouflaged - Beav and Ha My went down one but I knew I could never make it.  B had to crawl on his knees and he did not like it - very hard to breathe and very hot in them.  There were levels of tunnels, some made into rooms but we did not really see the real ones of those.  They had some that you could walk into and there were models depicting what the VN people were doing...eg meeting rooms etc.  What was unbelievable was that they had a shooting range - you could buy real bullets for $1 each and shoot them.  It was loud and scary!  And of course gift shops all over!  We got back to Saigon about 2.  Walked to Duy Man's hotel and chatted w/ him briefly.  Back to hotel.

Entrance to one of the tunnels, Cu Chi

Here are some facts:

There are about 5 million mopeds in Saigon.  There are about 8 million people in Saigon.  

You can fit 4 people on a moped.  Children stand on them as parents drive them.

Men pee any where, any time.  They pee along a busy high way or in a lovely park.  Whip it out and go - 

Puppies are in cages on bikes and sell for about $25 each.  B and HM almost bought 2 of them.

TV shows do not end on the hour but at about 5 past the hour.

Average income in Saigon is $3000/year.

Average income for rice farmers is $300/crop and if they are lucky, they can grow 3 crops of rice.  Last one is not as good as it is heavily fertilized.  Perfume rice is grown best in Mekong Delta and has lovely odor.

Thursday 1/6/11  Tour to Mekong Delta.  There are two deltas, Red River and Mekong, and the water comes from China.  The main crops in the Mekong Delta are really fruit as it brings in more $, and rice.  The rice paddies are very large and families usually live on them.  They live farther apart and are more like neighborhoods.  In the South of VN, family is not as important as neighbors.  South VN rather rebellious to mores of North Vietnam.  In the north, primogeniture is the way but not so in the south.  Families in south used to be 10 kids or more to get help for the rice paddies.  Even now, families in the Mekong Delta can have 3 kids while in Saigon and other cities, only 2 kids are permitted.

Today's tour was really busy.  We went to visit Vinh Trang Buddhist temple - more modern and newer.  Built in 1847 and redone in 1917, I think.  Two huge cement statues, one of happy buddha outside.  Then went to meet up w/ a local family who makes rice noodles in their home.  There were several homes doing the same things, mostly primitive and hot and dirty - but interesting.  They make the rice noodles right next to the pens where the pigs and piglets live.

Then we got into a tourist boat and boated up the Mekong River, past 4 islands.  The first island is called Dragon Island, the second is Unicorn Island, third is Phoenix Island and finally Turtle or Tortoise Island.  We got off the boat to look at the fruit orchards = banana trees, grapefruit trees, dragon fruit trees, longan trees etc.  Then we got into a cart drawn by a horse and he pulled us to a coconut candy workshop.  Here they made coconut candy, rather like toffee, in front of us.  

Then back to the boat for a ride to Hoi An for lunch of all river produced foods.  The fish was an elephant fish, cooked but intact.  Unbelievable looking.  The meal was absolutely delicious!  And our table overlooked a water buffalo rolling around in the water!  Following that we went to one of the canals and got into a boat called Sampan, with an old lady standing on the stern using one oar to steer and propel us.  Amazing!  She dropped us at the dock where the larger boat was ready to take us across the Mekong back to the town of My Tho.  It was quite a day!  Back in the room by 5ish.  B and HM have gone to the big market and to have some alone time.

Tomorrow I think we will have lunch w/ HM's parents.  Then we will pack up and keep one of our hotel rooms so we can change into clothes more for NY.  It is hot and humid here in Saigon.  Our flight for Seoul leaves at 11:50 PM - and it is about a 4-5 hour flight there.  Then we leave for JFK at 10 AM Seoul time on 1/8/11 and arrive in NY at 10 AM on 1/8/11!  I am very ready to get home!!!

Winnie Post 9: Viet Nam

We walked MILES since being here and still look fat!  Oh well.  I do have blisters on both feet from all the walking but that is OK.  VERY hot and humid today.  In fact as I sit here in the AC room, I am still dripping.

First place we went to was HM's uncle's daycare/kindergarten.  What a super experience!  There are 4 floors of children.  The very top floor is for babies - three aides in the room that was about 13X13.  There were 4 hammocks, w/ one little one sleeping in one.  The others were either crawling around or toddling.  I would guess there were about 20 little ones in that room.  The bottom floor is the administration, bikes, and the kitchen.  The children (there are 200 of them) pay about $100/month for the smaller ones and $50/month for the older kids as they need less attention.

the kitchen serves 3 full meals plus two milk breaks per day.  the food is measured for amount, nutrition and dietary needs of each child.  The 'obese' children are put on special diets, but the principal said the parents do not follow the diet and like their kids obese.  The children are given two physicals each year and an outside company does the weighing and measuring of the food for each child.  The obese children are supposed to exercise more too.

the second floor has rooms on either side of the stair case.  These are for the 12-24 month children.  I would say there were about 20 kids in each room.  One takes off your shoes before entering a classroom.  There are tiny gates that keep the children from leaving the room.  Each room had 3 teachers/aides.

The next level had 3-4 year olds on one side and kindergarten on the other side.  Ha My and I went into each room.  In one spot, two little girls were playing house, one was the mom.  She had a bowl filled w/ strips of white paper, signifying rice noodles for the meal.  Initially the children just stared at me - and then they would smile and look at me.  In the 3-4 year old room, I asked if I could take a picture of them.  They said yes and all sat orderly on the floor.  When I showed them the picture, they clamored over one another, so excited to see the pictures.  I tried to show each one of them by slowly moving the camera around but they continued to crowd and push everyone.  When I was leaving they held up 2 fingers and waved to me.

The 5 year olds were playing as well as some doing academic work.  Two students were copying letters in a workbook and another student was working on subtraction of numbers.  Some were playing on the floor, just having fun.  Two were painting in a workbook.  The classrooms were well organized and well appointed.  

After the tour, we sat in the first floor area and spoke w/ HM's uncle and the principal.  The principal has been a principal for 30 years, the daycare/school has been in existence for 14 years.  there were photos on the wall of the children w/ Santa!  Very funny and cute.  

The children were dear!  The older ones have 2 hours of English during the afternoon.  They have someone who comes to teach them English.  Interesting as no one spoke English to us.

Then we walked toward the Market - stopped at a couple of stores - B and HM bought North Face winter jackets!  B's has fleece insert etc and he paid $60 for it.  the same store sold Crocs - am still trying to build that stock back up!  There were several stores with a zillion different models. HM bought 2 pair and B bought a pair of Croc men's shoe-like sandals.  I got a pair of yellow flip flops for about $10.  Then we went into the market.  Jam crammed full of everything you ever wanted to buy.  Aisle size maybe one body width and every 'store' trying to sell you something.  Izod shirts, Polo shirts, children's clothing, fabric, purses, linens, dresses, T shirts and that is just a few.  

Walked back to hotel w/ B as HM diverted to go to her mom to tell her B would be along.  Glad he walked me to hotel as I don't have much of a clue where I am.  B has figured it all out and is quite good as a navigator.  

We have paid for our rooms for another day since we leave so late.  My hotel bill in Hanoi was $110 for 5 nights w/ breakfasts and cockroaches included.  This hotel cost $215 for 5 nights plus b-fasts.  I like this hotel and Saigon much better than Hanoi.  Hanoi is very disorganized, dirty, and hard.  I loved central VN best - and I like Saigon a lot.

Winnie Post 7: Viet Nam

It is 1/3/11 @ 9:30 AM - We flew into Saigon yesterday morning.  Now to try to remember where I left off of the last entry -  I don't think I wrote about the New Year's Eve gala at the hotel in Hoi An...it was very festive with lots of music and entertainment by the staff of the hotel.  If I have already told you about this, forgive me and just skim it.

We were introduced to the owners, general manager, and other key staff members of the Resort.  There are 4 of these resorts, the fourth being newly opened somewhere in VN.  The staff sang, as did the owner and his wife, and the staff modeled their uniform dress.  It is a talented staff.  There were numerous tables and a very large buffet served.  Drinks were purchased,  I had a Mai tai which about sent me loopy!  We sat w/ two women from Sweden who were very friendly.  Most of left about 10, put in ear plugs and went to bed.  Very festive indeed.

Saturday 1/1/11 we spent with our tour guide, Son, and driver Duc.  this time we toured the city of Hoi An.  We started with a silk worm tour.  There were large baskets of silk worms in various stages of growth.  One batch was at about 10 days growth, the second batch a bit longer (I cannot recall the exact days but it was not long) and then into cocoons.  Then she actually pulled the silk from the cocoon in strings.  it was fascinating.  Then we saw how some of it is weaved into silk fabric.  The cocoons are either white or yellow - other colors have to be dyed.  Then we saw the workers sitting at their desks working at their jobs.  The jobs included sitting there for 8 hours embroidering designed on white cotton table cloths or pillow cases, sewing/embroidering pictures from designs they are given, or sewing clothing.  If course it is hoped that one will buy so it also serves as a market.  From there we were taken into a clothing shop connected to the silk shop.  Here there are tailored dresses, scarves, skirts, kimonos, men's shirts, pants...Beaver bought a lovely shirt -

Then to craftsmen/women who were weaving bed mats with straw, making beautiful designs.  There were wood workers making inlaid wood items such as boxes, buddhas, toothpick holders etc.

We saw a Japanese Covered bridge, very old and ornate.  It stands about ten feet high over the water - and has flood lines on it showing the water has come to flood the bridge.  The flood line is about 4' above the floor line of the bridge!  then we went to a very old house called Tanky Old House.  It has been the home to numerous generations, pictures of each generation are on the walls.  The house is very dark and dank - and has flood lines marked to show the dates and flood lines of past floods.  Amazing water issues!!

We did a bit of tourist shopping = t shirts.  Then after lunch drove to My Son, the ancient religious center of the Cham people.  it is also the site of several American bomb craters.  These ruins date back to the 4th Century - there are 4 main sites, all of which have the same basic design but are in different states of ruin.  Two are in restoration attempts.  The carving in the stone was incredibly good - and many relics reflect their life.  It was a nice complement to our Cham Museum tour.

As we walked to the van, it was clearly jungle and this where the Viet Cong hid and the attacks occurred.  It was very emotional for me to see the sites where the war occurred.

Dinner that night was at an Eqyptian restaurant called Goda, I think.  good food.  Clearly the tour company had contracts with all the restaurants and hotels.  And they were good ones!

Sunday, 1/2/11 Up at 4:45 AM to fly to Saigon.  We left Da Nang about 8 AM and landed in Saigon around 9.  Took cab to hotel Au Lac.  This is a lovely hotel.  Very modern.  You put your card that opens your door into a slot and it turns on the power for the room.  Saves electricity!

This night was the second reception for Beav and Ha My.  It was held at a restaurant near by, within walking distance from our hotel.  This reception was for Thanh Ha's family.  There were about 80 people in attendance.  Several guests spoke English - two of whom were seated at our table.  They spent time teaching statistics in University of North Carolina and at University of WAshington, state.  Lovely people.  Our menu was more westernized while other tables had either vegetarian or different local dishes.  Lovely thought for us on Thanh Ha's part.

Our hotel is centrally located.  So today Beav, Ha My and I had breakfast together, after which Ha My went to spend the day w/ her family.  They will go to their grandfather's mausoleum.  Ha My's mother's sister is not well and they want to spend time with her and their grandmother.  Linh will leave tonight to return to USA.

Winnie at My Son

Beaver and I will spend the day walking and going to two malls.  this is really the first opportunity for shopping -  Believe it or not, there has not been much to buy.  Guess going to a mall might change that, eh?

Statue of Bac Ho, Saigon

Winnie Post 6: Viet Nam

Spent  Wed 12/29 at Sandy Beach Resort.  It was beautiful!  Due to the flight 
delay, we just went for dinner and then to the resort.  In the early AM walked 
the beach a bit but we left the resort for the beginning of the tour.  Thurs. 
12/30 drove to Hue.  Our route of travel was on the Hai Van Pass, which means 
Pass of Sea and Clouds.  The top of the pass is 496 meters above sea level.  It 
separates the seasons for on the north side of the pass, they have 4 seasons 
while on the south, only 2 seasons.  
> 
> 
> On the way up, the road is very narrow and twisty, curvy but such gorgeous 
views of the East Sea, rice paddies, and the city of Da Nang.  We passed a 
Buddha that is 67 meters high, made of concrete.  It took one year to build and 
was completed last year.  It is enormous and spectacular!  We stopped and walked 
around it.  The view from it is also wonderful - mostly of Da Nang and the sea.  
We passed a leprosy colony and saw parts of Lang Co beach.  Lang Co means 
village of the stork- so named because the storks come there in the winter.
> 

> 
> Forgot to mention we went to the Cham museum.  The Cham were people who had 
their own language, writing made from Sanskrit, and are thought to be extinct 
now.  They are thought to have lived from the 4th to the 14th century.  The 
museum housed incredible sculptures - such detail and beauty were awesome.
> 
> 
> The mountain behind the giant Buddha is called Monkey Mountain.  Yes, monkeys 
live there but it was a key site in the Viet Nam war for information.  It is 
thick w/ trees and jungle-like.
> 
> 
> At the top of the Pass there are still some bunkers from the Viet Nam war - 
and there is the most wonderful jon!  Of course there are tons of people trying 
to see you pearls  and necklaces...but the bathrooms were the best.  Door not 
necessary - a pot in the middle of the floor with a watering jug in it...I had 
no ideas what to do - so followed my instinct and just went in it.  It is good 
to carry your own toilet paper as it is not available most of the time!
> 
> 
> As we drove on, we passed oyster beds, bottles of either clear or yellowish 
liquid that I was told was from the gum tree - it is supposed to be medicinal, 
good to put on a baby's head to keep away mosquitoes.  It is supposed to similar 
to Tiger balm...
> 
> 
> Children go to school in shifts here, AM or PM session.  They wear uniforms 
of navy pants, white shirts, and in spite of of the dirt and dust, look very 
clean.  They ride their bicycles, often two or three to a bike.  Some have a red 
scarf around their neck which symbolizes the Communist party.  One must be 
elected into the first tier.  The election is based on academics, citizenship, 
and conduct.  The first tier is elementary school, then high school, and finally 
as an adult.
> 
> 
> We passed trucks loaded w/ live pigs going to market.  The pigs were on top of 
one another - so incredibly loaded into the trucks...sad for the pigs!  
> 

> 
> Once we arrived in Hue, we went on a boat trip on the Perfume River to visit 
Thien Mu Pagoda, considered the Royal Pagoda  of the Nguyen Dynasty.  The boat 
had a bow of dragons - and puttered along a pretty gross river but I enjoyed it.  
Very full of gas fumes so others not so happy!  Then to visit the Imperial 
Citadel. And on to our hotel in Hue called Camellia.  Great room!  
> 
> 
> We are now in Hoi An and will fly out tomorrow early to Saigon or Ho Chi Minh 
City.  

Winnie Post 5: Viet Nam

Yesterday was pretty much a waste as we were to fly to Da Nang but got delayed for a couple of hours.  Eventually flew out of Hanoi around 5 - great flight - I slept through the take off, woke up for the descent announcement and fell asleep for the landing.  That was a first!  Think our pilot was Australian by accent.  We are now on a tour - oh by the way, my hotel bill for 5 nights plus breakfasts was $110.

Our tour guide is Son and our driver is Mr. Duc.  They met us and took us out for dinner.  Will describe that later.  Now we are on the East Sea but we think it is an ocean - very resort like and called Sandy Beach Resort.  It is beautiful!  Must fly to meet our guide for today's adventure.